Seven students held after violent clashes at NMU

Seven Nelson Mandela University (NMU) students, including the student representative council (SRC) head, were arrested during violent clashes at the university on Monday.

NMU management decided at a meeting later on Monday to suspend academic activities on campus on Tuesday.

The conflict started at about 6am as students protesting against security breaches on campus tried to blockade access via University Way.

Campus security fired paintballs and police moved in with stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

The protesters, led by the EFF Student Command, retreated to the gate of the Sol Plaatjie Residence, where they ensconced themselves with a municipal rubbish bin full of rocks, using mattresses as shields and catapults to fire off missiles at their antagonists.

At about noon, however, the authorities stormed into the grounds of the residence and detained two more students.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said a policeman was slightly injured when one of the protesters threw a rock through a side window of the vehicle he was sitting in earlier in the day.

She said seven students had been detained.

“No names are being released as they have not yet been charged, but one of them is the leader of the student representative council.

“They will probably be charged on Tuesday for public violence, incitement to violence and obstructing police in the course of their duties.”

NMU spokesperson Zandile Mbabela said authorities had moved to secure the university.

“Violence ensued and the police had to enforce the standing interdict that prohibits protesting students from blocking access to the university,” she said.

“This resulted in a standoff between protesting students and police.

“Besides the police vehicle, we are aware of at least one visitor’s car that was damaged by stones thrown by protesters.”

EFF Student Command leader Athinkosi Dayi, 24, said university management had committed last week to show evidence by September 1 of a new security plan to improve the safety of students.

“There was nothing, not even an effort to keep us updated, so we decided to strike.”

Dayi said the protest would not stop despite the arrests, which included members of the EFF and the ANC-aligned SA Students Congress and their Eastern Cape chair, Bamanye Matiwane, who is also the president of the SRC.

“Our aim is a total shutdown. Whatever the numbers supporting us today, there will be double that tomorrow.”

Looking on from the fringes, Charles Mkhize, 23, said little was being done to stop “outsiders” – people who were neither students nor staff nor law-

abiding visitors – from gaining entry to the campus.

“There have been a number of incidents especially in the late hours. Students are robbed of their laptops. Women students are raped.”

Ayanda Nompume, 24, said security for students was dire.

Last week, a lecturer had been mugged on campus and on Sunday night students at a digs in Gomery Avenue had been robbed, he said.

“We don’t feel safe. People are invading our space.”

First-year pharmacy student Bronwyn Mhlongo, 20, was trying to work out how to get home after hearing his practical had been cancelled.

He said NMU management needed to step in urgently to solve the security problem.

“Students are being mugged on campus on the way back from the laboratories or the library, for instance, and also off campus on their way home.

“Management just needs to listen to students to hear what the problems are.”

He said he did not believe there were elements who would cause trouble if a security solution was implemented.

“I think as a group they will be happy with a solution.”

Mbabela said management met Central SRC and EFF Student Command representatives last week on the security issue and had pointed to a number of improvements that were being rolled out.

These ranged from new fencing to the introduction of a safe walking Green Route on the south campus supported by extra surveillance cameras.

Other measures included biometrics and card access verification, silent panic alarms in 180 computer labs, wall alarms in the 24-hour labs and rapid response security teams.

“Students were also requested to take charge of their own visitors from outside the university as some of the perpetrators of petty crimes have often been identified as visitors brought in by students.”

After a meeting of senior NMU management on Monday evening, Mbabela emphasised the reasons for the protest had not been formally communicated to NMU management, as per the mutually agreed engagement protocols.

She said management needed further time to conclude its assessment of the situation and to stabilise the environment.

“Therefore a decision has been taken to suspend academic activities on campus tomorrow [Tuesday].”

Students were encouraged to use their time to continue with academic work and liaise with lecturers with regard to alternative study and test arrangements, she said.

“Academic staff members, in turn, should contact their students to offer assurances on the way forward regarding lost class time, tests, assignments and laboratory practicals.

“Similarly, line managers are advised to maintain contact with their respective teams about work arrangements.

“The university remains committed to amicable engagements on issues affecting staff and students, within the established parameters.”